Nestled amidst majestic mountain ranges, Bình Liêu is not only renowned for its poetic landscapes but also for preserving traditional cultural values, with the craft of making vermicelli being a standout heritage. From the arrowroot plants growing on the hillsides, through the skillful hands of the Sán Chỉ ethnic people, each strand of transparent vermicelli is born, infused with the essence of nature and the diligence of its creators.
I arrived in Bình Liêu on an early autumn morning, as the first rays of sunlight began to pierce through the thin veil of mist. After completing the photo shoot, I had the chance to witness and deeply appreciate the beauty of labor here. The image of the Sán Chỉ people, clad in blue shirts and black trousers, diligently working amidst the mountains, felt like a vivid living painting. Their warm hospitality left a lasting impression on me. After completing the photo shoot, the family I visited kindly invited me to stay for lunch. It was a simple yet heartfelt meal of fragrant arrowroot slices and a bowl of thin porridge, full of their generosity. As I left, they even gifted me a packet of vermicelli—a small token brimming with their genuine affection.
The craft of making vermicelli in Bình Liêu is closely tied to the efforts of local people to preserve and develop their heritage, with Trần Văn Hoàng being a prominent example. Born in 1988 in Húc Động Commune, Hoàng, a member of an ethnic minority group, has been familiar with this traditional craft since childhood. After studying and working in Hanoi, he returned to his hometown in 2016, determined to start a business based on his family’s traditional vermicelli-making craft.
Hoàng shared: “The journey of making vermicelli has been full of challenges. At first, I thought that applying machinery would make things easier, but the biggest difficulty turned out to be finding a market for the products. There were times when locals stopped planting arrowroot because they couldn’t sell it. I had to persuade them and commit to purchasing their crops to give them confidence to continue.”
His efforts paid off with the establishment of the Húc Động Agricultural and Service Cooperative, which aims to preserve and promote the traditional craft while also providing stable employment for local residents, especially young people. Every step in the production process, from harvesting and processing to drying, reflects meticulous care and a harmonious blend of tradition and modernity.
Bình Liêu not only gave me beautiful photographs but also a touching story about its people and culture. The taste of its vermicelli is not just the result of hard work but also a testament to the heartfelt warmth and sincerity of the Sán Chỉ people. It was a short trip, but the memories, filled with kindness and humanity, will remain deeply etched in my heart.(*)
